Missing the Point - the challenge of creating policies and programmes that tap into the motivations of the builders and installers

Encouraging and ensuring continuous low carbon retrofit of existing buildings remains a major challenge in moving towards zero-energy building stock. In recent years several researchers have confirmed what practitioners already know: small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and micro-enterprises (organisations of one to three people) are vital in implementing energy efficiency targets through effective, bespoke, renovation action to reduce energy consumption, particularly in private housing stock. These actors often work together, formally and informally, in networks connected by practice, customers and values. Practice includes the acceptable standards of low carbon work in that network and the gaps and differences between the concepts of low carbon retrofit, deep carbon retrofit, and “eco” retrofit need to be understood if a rolling programme of retrofit that moves towards zero carbon buildings can be achieved. Customers can be important in setting expectations and standards and negotiating acceptable retrofit practice. The values of the tradesmen themselves affect what work is undertaken through the relative prioritisation of capital cost, running cost, carbon emissions, energy efficiency and their ambitions for their business. Separately, SMEs are also a major focus of EU and national economic policy; these policies typically encourage new enterprise and economic growth. Using qualitative empirical data collected from micro-enterprises working on general renovation of buildings and heating systems in the UK, this paper illustrates how the drivers for SMEs taking decisions about whether or not to carry out low carbon renovation are not aligned with those SME policy objectives. We use our analysis of the real motivations for SMEs in engaging with low carbon retrofit to suggest opportunities for policies and programmes at local and, potentially, national level.